


I Can Serenade

by mercurys_loverboy (FandomStar)



Series: Freddie and Arthel ~ "Canon" [4]
Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: 1970s, Fun, M/M, Musicians, Short & Sweet, Singing, Tags Are Hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-13 19:08:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18947053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomStar/pseuds/mercurys_loverboy
Summary: Arthel finally hears the song Freddie wrote about him!





	I Can Serenade

**Author's Note:**

> This is set in July 1977, a month after Set My Alarm.  
> You should probably read the previous works in this series before reading this.  
> Warning! This features the author, who is not a musician, trying to describe what happens whilst recording music! (And I know for certain that I got it very wrong, but I can't be bothered to change it!)  
> Also, I know that I got the year wrong for the release of Good Old-Fashioned Loverboy. I just really love the idea of it being Freddie's song for Arthel, and I didn't really want him writing it when he'd only known Ell for a month, if at all.  
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy this!

"Arthel!" Freddie called over the studio's intercom. "How are you doing out there, darling?"

When the man operating the recording equipment nodded, Arthel put everything down next to him on the sofa, before going over to stand next to him. Arthel had been finishing off a song he'd started writing the night before with Freddie's help.

"I'm doing good, Fred," he replied with a smile. "Thanks for the soundtrack, guys!"

The five men chuckled at that.

"Freddie," the studio engineer said into the intercom microphone. "Are you good to start on vocals?"

Freddie grinned.

"Of course, always," he said. "Arthel, I want you to listen to this one."

"You have my undivided attention." Arthel promised, before sitting back on the sofa.

Freddie nodded at the studio engineer, who played back the instrumental track they'd just recorded.

" _I can dim the lights and sing you songs full of sad things,_

_We can do the tango just for two._

_I can serenade and gently play on your heart strings,_

_Be your Valentino just for you."_

Unable to take his eyes off Freddie, Arthel smiled. The song came to its close, and Freddie stepped away from the microphone, before winking at Arthel.

"That was great, everyone," the sound engineer told the band. "Is everyone ready for a short break?"

Freddie turned to his friends, who all eagerly nodded.

"I think we are." he replied through the intercom.

The band filed out of the studio, and Freddie approached Arthel, sitting next to him on the now clear sofa.

"So, my dear, what did you think?" he asked.

"It's brilliant!" Arthel replied, grinning. "I love it!"

"That's good, that's good," Freddie said, quietly, before shyly telling him, "Because I wrote it for you."

In complete disbelief, Arthel stated at him, his mouth slightly open.

"For me?" he whispered, before his mouth turned into an open smile. "Wow."

When he gently placed a hand on Freddie's leather-clad leg, Freddie gave Arthel a pleased smile.

"I'm glad you approve," he said, pecking his partner's cheek. "Well, now, my darling, how have you been doing with that song of yours?"

Freddie seemed to have caught the attention of their friends. 

"Have you been working on something, Ell?" Brian asked, situating himself in the space to Arthel's right.

"Yeah, I've been working on it for a while now, but I only started on lyrics yesterday when Freddie got bored of hearing my wonderful vocal percussion and decided to help out with writing," Arthel replied. "And to answer your question, Fred, I have a complete song ready for revisions that I'm guessing everyone wants to hear now that you all know about it."

"Absolutely!" Roger enthusiastically agreed, pulling up a stool as Brian gave a similar exclamations.

John nodded with a smile and added, "That'd be nice," and perched on the sofa arm next to Freddie.

After a year, the pressure of performing in front of Queen had dissipated, so Arthel easily picked up his guitar and started playing.

" _You're a miracle._

_And it's a miracle,_

_That someone as incredible as you,_

_Picked somebody like me."_

When Arthel stopped singing, he was given an enthusiastic round of applause by everyone, even the studio engineer.

"That's amazing!" John remarked, sounding impressed. "And you wrote that just now?"

"Some of it," Arthel replied, running a hand up and down that neck of his guitar. "Most of it I wrote last night."

"It's brilliant, Arthel. I'm so proud of you," Freddie told him, grinning. "When I first met you, you were but a mediocre songwriter. Now look how far you've come, darling!"

"Thanks, Freddie, but you helped-"

"Only a little bit."

"-quite a lot."

After a few minutes of the couple going back and forth with similar arguments, Roger finally seemed to have had enough.

"Look, it's not that I don't agree with you, Fred, or that I'm not enjoying the Arthel appreciation, but we could use your help putting everything together." he said, looking over at Freddie and Arthel from where he was now standing with Brian, John and the studio engineer.

Sheepishly, Freddie smiled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realise we'd started up." he apologised, kissing Arthel before joining his band.

Whilst everyone was busy, Arthel sneaked off to the second studio that Freddie made sure was free for Arthel and anything extra that they brought with them.

**Author's Note:**

> This ends a bit suddenly (sorry about that), but I hope you enjoyed it and you can overlook that.  
> I'd also like you to recognise that I wrote the short song snippet myself. I'd like that recognition because I don't really write songs, and I don't think it's too bad. (I sort of based it on The Miracle.)  
> The title of this is a lyric from Good Old-Fashioned Loverboy by Queen.


End file.
